


Research

by Graintaire



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-27
Updated: 2014-05-27
Packaged: 2018-01-26 20:21:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1701284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Graintaire/pseuds/Graintaire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He needs to know who he is. He needs to start finding answers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Research

**Author's Note:**

> Written during a Skype conversation with thehumantrampoline. A bit drabble/a bit meta/one shot.

So I got to thinking what if hobo Bucky went to the library and started doing research, but wtf is all this? He can fight and kick ass and take orders, but research? Where are the encyclopedias? What is going on? More like the last time he was in a library (if ever) they still had card catalogs. But again something Steve dragged him along for.  
So of course one of the aides helps him out.

And she just thinks he’s a super Captain America fan or a history buff or whatever. He tells her that his name is Steve. It’s the first name he can think of (why is it the first name he can think of?  
of all names!).

And she doesn’t mind helping him out. How to tell the difference of all the ins and outs of the internet and where to get hard copies of stuff.  
The most surreal moment is in the pile of books she gets him is the biography of James Buchannan Barnes. All the Howling Commandos have biographies. His is the shortest.

But the disconnect is still there. This is him, but it’s not him.  
And the librarian she’s cool with all of it. She knows he’s bluffing about something. She’s just not sure what. it’s his eyes, he’s grown out a beard and his hair is still long, but there’s something in those eyes. She’s seen them before? She could never help herself with the biographies, always paging through the pictures and yes, she’s paged through Barnes’ biography. But that’s ridiculous. Even in a time as incredible as this some things are impossible. She gives him info for the local homeless shelters too.

But of course Hydra is keeping an eye out. They aren’t about to lose one of their most powerful assets. And eventually they narrow it down.  
She’s closing up that night when they come. And when they attack her, yeah she’s terrified.

But she’s a librarian. She has a responsibility to her patrons. So no, she’s not going to tell these people anything. They have no right to “Steve’s” privacy. No right to what he’s been looking up. No right to know where he is.

Even with the knife at her throat, she won’t tell them.  
And like something out of a damn comic book there he is. He takes them all out within a span of 30 seconds. Was it 30? Or 10? Time is awkward when you’re under adrenaline.  
And yeah, she had noticed that he always kept his left arm covered. When she hears the metallic sound of fist to flesh she finally understands why.

He doesn’t say anything for a moment. Just looks at her. Somewhere between a child and a machine. The way he took those people out. They’re dead. All of them. No doubt about that. She’s slumped to the sidewalk. When did her knees go out? Not a clue. Again, time is weird.  
He finally speaks. He tells her that he’s sorry. That he didn’t mean for her to get involved. He’s going to leave now and he won’t be back. He gives her a number. Call it and she’ll be safe. Nothing else.

She can’t find her voice in time to say anything to him.

She called the number only after she called 911. That was awkward explaining to the emergency service crew. Good thing by that time she’d recovered enough of her senses to spin something together.

The number he gave her is automated. She’s still nervous, but after 2 months of nothing happening she’s a bit less spooked. Not that she hasn’t taken to carrying pepper spray with her for any reason.  
3 months later she’s shelving books. It’s biographies. And of course, what does she have to do? She flips through the pictures. It’s the one about James Buchanan Barnes.  
And for once she looks. Really looks.

And in her mind she puts longer hair on him. And a beard.

Her gut knows the truth. And in a world where aliens from another world can invade New York, who is to say that a 70 year dead war hero didn’t come and save her that night? And whose to say that she didn’t have some small part in saving him?


End file.
